Nigeria pardons activist Ken Saro-Wiwa 30 years after execution

 

Nigeria's president has pardoned the late activist Ken Saro-Wiwa, 30 years after his execution sparked global outrage.

Along with eight other campaigners, Mr Saro-Wiwa was convicted of murder, then hanged in 1995 by the then-military regime.

Many believed the activists were being punished for leading protests against the operations of oil multinationals, particularly Shell, in Nigeria's Ogoniland. Shell has long denied any involvement in the executions.

Though the pardons have been welcomed, some activists and relatives say they do not go far enough.

As well as issuing the pardons on Thursday, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu bestowed national honours on Mr Saro-Wiwa and his fellow campaigners, who were known as the Ogoni Nine.

The nine men - Mr Saro-Wiwa, Barinem Kiobel, John Kpuinen, Baribor Bera, Felix Nuate, Paul Levula, Saturday Dobee, Nordu Eawo and Daniel Gbokoo - were among dozens who received the honours as part of Nigeria's annual Democracy Day.

Tinubu said the accolades recognised "heroes" who had made "outstanding contributions " to the nation's democracy.

Responding to the pardons for the Ogoni Nine, campaign groups said they would like the government to take further steps.

The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (Mosop), which was formerly led by Mr Saro-Wiwa, called the pardon a "courageous act".

However, Mosop also said that the pardon implies wrongdoing, while in reality "no crime ever took place".

Barinem Kiobel's widow expressed her gratitude to Tinubu for the national honour, but called on the president to "properly declare [her] husband and his compatriots innocent" because a "pardon is not granted to the innocent".

Likewise, Amnesty International said clemency falls "far short of the justice the Ogoni Nine need".

More must be done to hold oil companies to account for environmental damage currently occurring in Nigeria, the organisation added.

Mr Saro-Wiwa, who was one of Nigeria's leading authors, led the Ogoni people in peaceful demonstrations against Shell and other oil companies.

Mosop accused the multinational company of polluting the land that locals relied on for their livelihoods.

The Nigerian government responded by brutally cracking down on the protesters. The Ogoni Nine were subsequently found guilty by a secret military tribunal of the murder of four Ogoni chiefs.

Their execution sparked outrage within the international community. It was widely condemned as extrajudicial murder and became a global symbol of the struggle against environmental injustice and repression.

Nigeria was consequently suspended from the Commonwealth group of nations.

Since then, Shell has faced various lawsuits over oil spills and environmental damage in the Niger Delta, the southern region that Ogoniland is a part of.

In 2021 a Dutch court ordered Shell to compensate farmers for spills that contaminated swathes of farmland and fishing waters in the Niger Delta. The company agreed to pay more than a hundred million dollars.

Earlier this year, lawyers representing two Ogoniland communities argued in London's High Court that Shell must take responsibility for oil pollution that occurred between 1989 and 2020.

Shell denies wrongdoing and says spills in the region have been caused by sabotage, theft and illegal refining for which the company says it is not liable.

The case's full trial is set for 2026.

By Wedaeli Chibelushi, BBC

Nigeria scraps controversial bill making voting mandatory

Following a backlash from lawyers and rights groups, Nigeria has scrapped a controversial bill that would have made voting mandatory.

It had proposed a six-month jail term, or a $63 fine, for eligible voters who failed to cast their ballots.

The bill sailed through its second reading 10 days but a government spokesperson said it decided to withdraw it follow consultations with a "broad spectrum of stakeholders".

In recent years, Nigerians have been increasingly reluctant to go vote.

Turnout in national elections has steadily declined, with the 2023 presidential poll recording a 27 per cent turnout, the lowest since the country’s 1999 return to democratic rule.

The House of Representatives speaker who co-sponsored the bill said it was introduced with the best of intentions.

Abbas Tajudeen said he had hoped it would bolster civic engagement and strengthen Nigeria’s democracy.

But some rights groups described the move as both draconian and unconstitutional.

They said the moment citizens are forced to vote, the concept of "free and fair elections" collapses.

Lawyers, for their part, said it would be logistically impossible to prosecute the millions of Nigerians who may decide to boycott local or nationals polls.

Around 20 countries worldwide enforce compulsory voting.

Africa News

Nigeria's ruling party endorses President Tinubu for 2027 re-election

Nigeria's ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) party on Thursday endorsed President Bola Tinubu to run for a second and final term at the next election, due in early 2027.

Tinubu, 73, won the last presidential vote in February 2023, which his two main rivals unsuccessfully challenged in court, alleging the vote was rigged. Tinubu said he won fairly.

The APC said at a summit in Abuja, the capital, that it wanted Tinubu to continue with reforms that the government says have rebooted the economy after removing a costly petrol subsidy and liberalising the exchange rate.

Tinubu's reforms have won applause from credit ratings agencies, foreign investors and the International Monetary Fund. Critics say they have caused the worst cost-of-living crisis in recent memory.

Abdullahi Ganduje, the APC national chairman, said, "On behalf of the National Working Committee I hereby affirm the various endorsements and declare President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as sole presidential candidate of APC."

The summit coincided with the second anniversary of Tinubu's presidency, and several cabinet ministers also spoke about their achievements since taking office.

Presidents in Nigeria can serve a maximum of two four-year terms.

Although Tinubu faces criticism that his policies have hurt Nigerians and that he has failed to end insecurity, including a long-running Islamist insurgency and banditry, the opposition is seen as too divided and weak to mount a serious challenge.

The opposition parties have also been hit by some high-profile defections to the APC. Tinubu said he expected more such defections, adding, "That is the game."

By MacDonald Dzirutwe, Reuters

Nigerian government sues senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan over assassination claims

The Nigerian government has pressed charges against a senator who accused one of the country's top politicians of plotting to kill her.

In April, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan alleged that Godswill Akpabio, the Senate president, and Yahaya Bello, a former state governor, wanted to "eliminate" her. Both have denied the accusation.

Weeks before, Akpoti-Uduaghan had accused the Senate president of sexually harassing her - an allegation he has also denied.

The government has now filed charges with the High Court, saying Akpoti-Uduaghan's assassination allegation defamed Akpabio and Bello.

In the charge sheet, seen by the BBC, Nigeria's attorney general referenced a live interview broadcast by Nigeria's Channels TV last month.

In the interview, Akpoti-Uduaghan spoke of "discussions that Akpabio had with Yahaya Bello... to eliminate me".

The attorney general said this statement, and others made in the same broadcast, could harm Bello and Akpabio's reputations.

Akpoti-Uduaghan has not responded publicly to the charges against her and no date has been set for her to appear in court.

The case marks the latest twist in a row that has engrossed Nigeria, raising questions about gender equality in the socially conservative nation.

Akpoti-Uduaghan is one of just four women out of 109 senators.

After accusing Akabio of sexual harassment in February, she was suspended from the Senate for six months without pay.

The Senate's ethics committee said the suspension was for her "unruly and disruptive" behaviour while the Senate was debating her allegations.

However, Akpoti-Uduaghan and her supporters argued that the committee was targeting her because of the allegations she had made against the senate president.

In March, she told the BBC she felt the Senate "operates like a cult". She also said that because her security detail had been removed, she feared for the safety of her two-year-old child.

By Wedaeli Chibelushi & Chukwunaeme Obiejesi, BBC

Related story: Nigerian Senate is run like a cult', suspended MP tells BBC

Video - Nigeria considers mandatory voting law

Lawmakers in Nigeria have proposed compulsory voting to tackle low turnout. With over 93 million registered voters, the country leads Africa in numbers, but only 27 percent showed up for the 2023 elections, the lowest turnout since 1999. Critics, however, warn that the bill could punish citizens rather than restore trust in democracy, citing deeper issues of insecurity and electoral distrust.

CGTN

Nigeria's fierce political rivals share joke at pope's inaugural mass

 

Fierce Nigerian political rivals Peter Obi and President Bola Tinubu were seen laughing and joking at Pope Leo XIV's inaugural mass in Rome.

Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress defeated Obi of the Labour Party in the heated and tightly contested 2023 presidential election - a victory Obi challenged at the Supreme Court without success.

The pair's supporters have expressed bitter rivalry towards each other over the years, both on social media and on the streets, with some physical clashes occurring prior to the elections.

Tinubu and Obi are expected to go head-to-head again in less than two years' time as Nigeria prepares for another election in 2027.

Photos of the meeting were shared by presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga on social media, who recounted what transpired when Obi and a former governor greeted the Nigerian president after seeing him at the event.

"Mr President, welcome to our church, and thank you for honouring the Pope with your presence," said former Ekiti state governor Kayode Fayemi.

Both Obi and Fayemi are Catholics, while Tinubu is Muslim.

However, President Tinubu responded: "I should be the one welcoming you and Peter. I'm the head of the Nigerian delegation."

The president's response elicited laughter from Obi, who agreed.

"Yes, indeed. We are members of your delegation," Obi said.

Despite the memorable encounter, Obi did not mention it in his long post on X about his visit to the Vatican.

Alkassim Hussain, a member of Nigeria's House of Representatives, told the BBC that the light-hearted meeting was good for the country's politics and should help reduce tension.

"They portrayed a good image of the country and that's how politics should be played - without bitterness.

"I hope supporters of both Tinubu and Obi can see that after elections and court cases, then it is all about the country and how everyone can join hands together to grow it," he noted.

Tinubu won the 2023 elections after the opposition was split between the Labour Party and the Peoples Democratic Party.

There is speculation that the two parties could form a coalition in 2027 to challenge Tinubu, who is expected to seek a second term.

Elections are often marred by violence in Nigeria, with hundreds of people losing their lives since the country's return to democracy in 1999.

By Mansur Abubakar, BBC

President Tinubu marks 73rd birthday today, seeks spiritual guidance for Nigeria

President Bola Tinubu will on Friday join fellow Muslims at the National Mosque in Abuja for a special prayer session for the nation to mark his 73rd birthday, which is on Saturday.

“He will also use this occasion to thank God for preserving and supporting him in the onerous task of piloting the nation’s affairs,” Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, revealed in a statement he signed Thursday.

The statement was titled, ‘President Tinubu To Mark 73rd Birthday with Special Prayer at the Abuja National Mosque.’

President Tinubu’s birthday coincides with the holy month of Ramadan and comes two months before his administration’s second anniversary.

Onanuga said, “On this significant day, the President will dedicate himself to spiritual reflection and supplication for Nigeria’s continued peace, progress, and prosperity.

“Choosing a prayer session reflects President Tinubu’s dedication to Nigeria’s spiritual and moral well-being and his commitment to seeking divine guidance, insight, and strength in leadership. He believes collective prayer is a powerful tool for guiding the nation towards progress and harmony.”

President Tinubu invited the public to join the prayer session in spirit by offering prayers at their places of worship or wherever they may be, reinforcing a nationwide commitment to unity and shared destiny.”

According to the statement, the President expressed profound gratitude to Nigerians for their unwavering support and goodwill as his administration works tirelessly to advance economic reforms, strengthen national security, and expand opportunities for all citizens.

“I am deeply thankful to Allah for the gift of life and the privilege to serve this great nation. As I mark another birthday and look forward to our second anniversary, my heart is filled with Renewed Hope for Nigeria.

“I urge all citizens to pray for divine guidance, unity, and healing for our land. Together, we shall overcome challenges and build a nation where every citizen thrives,” he stated.

The President reaffirmed his commitment to consolidating democratic gains, fostering economic recovery, and promoting national cohesion.

Therefore, he encouraged citizens to remain steadfast in believing in Nigeria’s destiny as a beacon of hope in Africa.

PUNCH

President Tinubu suspends the governor of an oil-rich state in rare emergency rule

Nigeria’s leader declared an emergency in oil-rich Rivers state and suspended its governor and lawmakers Tuesday over a political crisis and vandalism to pipelines that contribute to the country’s status as Africa’s top oil producer.

A crisis in Rivers has brewed for months between incumbent Gov. Siminalayi Fubara and state lawmakers, many of whom are backed by his predecessor. This week, some lawmakers initiated an impeachment process against the governor, accusing him of various illegalities regarding the presentation of the state budget and the composition of the legislative chamber.

President Bola Tinubu said in a state broadcast he was suspending the governor and other elected officials, including the state lawmakers, for six months.

The Nigerian president criticized the governor for not “taking any action to curtail” fresh incidents of pipeline vandalism reported in the last 24 hours, including a blast that resulted in a fire on the Trans Niger Pipeline.

“With all these and many more, no good and responsible president will stand by and allow the grave situation to continue without taking remedial steps prescribed by the constitution to address the situation in the state,” Tinubu said.

Nigeria’s former navy chief Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas, who is retired, will become the military administrator of Rivers state and the judiciary will continue to function, Tinubu said.

Military trucks were quickly deployed to the Rivers State Government House following Tinubu’s announcement.

The Nigerian Constitution allows emergency rule to maintain law and order in rare circumstances. This is the first such emergency declared in more than a decade in the country of more than 210 million people whose democracy has been tested by many years of military rule and instability.

The Nigerian Bar Association criticized the suspensions of the governor and other elected officials as illegal. “A declaration of emergency does not automatically dissolve or suspend elected state governments,” Afam Osigwe, the association’s president, said in a statement.

The last such emergency in Nigeria was declared under President Goodluck Jonathan in 2013, in the northeastern states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe during the height of the Boko Haram insurgency. However, the state governors were not suspended at the time.

By Dyepkazah Shibayan, AP

'Nigerian Senate is run like a cult', suspended MP tells BBC

A Nigerian senator who alleged she was sexually harassed by one of the country's top politicians has told the BBC the Senate operates like a "cult".

A fortnight ago, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended for six months after submitting a petition saying she had been harassed by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, which he denies.

His office also rejected the cult comparison - the latest twist in a row that has gripped Nigeria, raising questions about gender equality in the socially conservative nation.

Akpoti-Uduaghan said she was being punished for speaking out against the system and that she now feared for her and her two-year-old's safety as her security detail had been stripped.

"The Nigerian Senate operates like a cult. The Senate president runs the Senate like a dictator, not a democrat. There is no freedom of speech, there is no freedom of expression and anyone who dares to go against him gets cut to size," the 45-year-old said in the first TV interview since her suspension.

In a statement to the BBC, the Senate's Deputy Chief Whip Onyekachi Nwebonyi said Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan was not being silenced and that "her own legislative activities disprove this claim".

Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), alleged that the sexual harassment started in 2023, when she visited Akpabio's country home with her husband.

She said the Akpabio "squeezed her hand suggestively" and said "I will make an opportunity for us to come here and have a good moment".

Nwebonyi, who says he was also present during the visit, stated: "At no time during the period in question did the Senate president make any unwanted sexual advances to Senator Akpoti at his country house."

But Akpoti-Uduaghan alleged that this was just one incident of many and that the harassment continued for several months.

She said that, while with other senators on the Senate's premises, Akpabio made a comment to the effect of: "Natasha your husband is really enjoying, it looks like you'll be able to make good movements with your waist."

"The Senate president said this," Akpoti-Uduaghan told the BBC.

"He makes very sexist statements then they [senators] all laugh. He says in the Senate we're all men, she should be used to this."

On his part, Nwebonyi said these allegations were "completely false".

Nigeria has one of the lowest numbers of female parliamentarians in Africa.

Akpoti-Uduaghan one of four female senators in a parliament of 109 members and she is also the first female senator in her state.

Her petition against Akpabio was dismissed due to "procedural errors".

Then, on 6 March, the ethics committee handed Akpoti-Uduaghan a six-month suspension without pay, citing "unruly and disruptive" behaviour during a debate in the Senate.

Akpoti-Uduaghan told the BBC that she no longer had access to security as a result of the suspension.

"In the Nigerian space, we have had people over the past decades who have been killed for having strong views against the government," she said.

"If I'm taking my kid for a walk - because I have a two-year-old - will I be killed? Will I be attacked?"

Civil society groups in the country have expressed concerns over Akpoti-Uduaghan's treatment, calling for a transparent investigation into her allegations.

"All we can say is that today is a sad day for Nigerian women fighting for emancipation. Out of 109 senators, only four are women and one is now suspended," women's rights activist Hadiza Ado told the BBC when the suspension was imposed.

While rights groups and some social media users have expressed their support for Akpoti-Uduaghan, she also has her fair share of detractors.

After she was suspended, two groups of protesters gathered near parliament in the capital, Abuja - one backing the senate president and the other in support of his colleague, chanting ''Akpabio must go''.

Akpoti-Uduaghan had also been subjected to an onslaught of misogynist abuse on social media since making the allegations, she told the BBC.

The scandal is the latest episode in a political career that has been rocky from the outset.

Akpoti-Uduaghan first ran for governor of Kogi state in 2019 and alleged that her candidacy was challenged over her mixed-race heritage.

She eventually appeared on the ballot, but was subjected to physical and verbal attacks during her campaign.

In 2023, she ran for Senate and lost the election. The poll was marred by violence and after Akpoti-Uduaghan took the matter to court, the election result was overturned.

"I thought the worst was over with the elections," she told the BBC.

"But for a woman I guess it's never really over right? It's just different parts, different chapters."

Akpoti-Uduaghan has taken legal action in an attempt to have her suspension overturned and plans to petition the Senate again with her sexual harassment allegations.

Despite the heavy emotional toll, she said she did not regret speaking out.

She said she feels encouraged by her husband, child and the masses of supporters outside her family, which include female politicians from other African countries.

"I have gotten calls on a daily basis from women connecting with me and telling me they are experiencing the same thing in their parliament, but that they can't speak up," she said.

"They say, Natasha, do this for us. This is my story and my story is that of many women in Nigeria that do not have the courage to speak up."

By Yemisi Adegoke, BBC

Related story: Nigerian Senate suspends female senator who made sexual harassment claim

Nigeria to appoint ambassadors, 18 months after worldwide recall

Nigeria's government has started vetting potential candidates to lead its more than 100 diplomatic missions, with appointments expected "very soon", 18 months after President Bola Tinubu recalled all ambassadors, sources familiar with the matter said.

Nigeria, Africa's most populous country and a key Western ally in the fight against Islamist insurgents in West Africa, has operated without ambassadors since September 2023.

The minister of foreign affairs has previously blamed a lack of funds for the delay in naming new diplomats.

A government source told Reuters that the issue "is being resolved" and "that means the appointment will be announced very soon."

Nigeria's security services were conducting background checks on possible appointees and had started sharing their findings with the relevant agencies within the presidency and legislature, an intelligence official told Reuters.

A spokesperson from the presidency referred questions to the foreign affairs ministry, which declined to comment. The sources declined to be named as they are not authorised to speak on the matter.

Since coming to power in May 2023, Tinubu has prioritised fixing Nigeria's struggling economy, with foreign policy taking a back seat, said a former ambassador who served in Africa and the United States.

The government has this year budgeted 302.4 billion naira ($198.30 million) to run its foreign missions.
The former Nigerian ambassador said he was informed by government officials that the issue of the absence of ambassadors in their countries had come up in discussions between Tinubu and some foreign leaders.

"Assurance had been given that they will soon be appointed," said the former ambassador, who declined to be named.

By Ope Adetayo, Reuters

Gen 'IBB' Babangida’s book: Former Nigerian military ruler reveals all

Nigeria's former military ruler Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, known as IBB, has released a new autobiography including several revelations about the turbulent times while he was in charge of the country from 1985 to 1993.

A Journey In Service has got Nigerians talking and reflecting on what might have been if things had turned out differently - especially the controversial decision to annul the 1993 elections, and the execution of a childhood friend.

Babangida has a mixed record. While some praise him for the infrastructural development Nigeria he oversaw, others say there was massive corruption during his time.

Here are four takeaways from the book:


The 1993 elections annulment

This is the biggest talking-point as it touches on a topic which many believed altered Nigeria's history. Some say the country still has not really recovered from the annulment of the 1993 presidential elections.

In the book, Babangida, now 83, for the first time expressed deep regret for cancelling that election.

The poll was supposed to bring an end to military rule after 10 years and the cancellation of the outcome threw the country into turmoil.

The date of the vote - 12 June - is now remembered in Nigeria as Democracy Day.

Moshood Abiola, widely believed to have won the election, was later imprisoned and his wife assassinated.

Gen Babangida acknowledged that Abiola, who died in 1998, had won the vote.

However, in 1993 as results were being collated, the military government abruptly stopped the process - an action that triggered widespread protests and a political crisis.

"That accident of history is most regrettable. The nation is entitled to expect my expression of regret," Babangida writes.

At the time, he cited the issue of vote-buying, as well as the need to protect the country’s judiciary as reasons for the annulment.

Gen Babangida was forced to resign several months later.

Nigeria's current President, Bola Tinubu, said at the book launch that Gen Babangida had shown courage by admitting what took place.

Abiola’s son Jamiu said the acknowledgment by Gen Babangida that his father had won the election came as a welcome surprise to him and some of his family members.

"Perhaps General Babangida was looking for peace,” he told the BBC Focus on Africa podcast.

Civilian rule was eventually restored in 1999, 11 months after the death of another military ruler Gen Sani Abacha. He had seized power towards the end of 1993 in the wake of the annulled elections.

Execution of a childhood friend

General Mamman Vatsa and Babangida grew up together, were in the same class in school and rose alongside each other in the military. His execution in 1986 after he was convicted of a coup plot is another major talking-point of Babangida's presidency.

"We were very close friends," Babangida recalls.

"We had grown up together in Minna and had been classmates in Bida. We did several things together as peers. My wife recalled that we used to share a room as bachelors. We would reach out for whatever shirt was available, irrespective of whose it was, and just wear it and head out! We were that close."

However, he says now realises that Vatsa had been jealous since when they were teenagers.

"With the benefit of hindsight now, I recall that a constant part of our relationship as teenagers and young men was a continuous and recurrent peer jealousy on his part towards me. He was always envious of my achievements, especially when he thought I was progressing better than him, either in school or our military career path."

Vatsa and nine others were executed in March 1986. They were said to have planned a coup, which according to Babangida would have plunged the country into darkness.

"I had to choose between saving a friend's life and the nation's future," he writes.

Nigeria's first coup

Another contentious issue has been the 1966 coup which overthrew Nigeria's first government following independence from the UK. Prime Minister Abubakar Tafawa Balewa was killed, along with other high-ranking national and regional leaders.

The fact most of the coup plotters were from south-eastern Nigeria meant the coup became known as an "Igbo coup" - a label Babangida rejects.

He highlighted the role of Major John Obienu, an ethnic Igbo officer, who played a key role in quelling the coup, revealing that many senior Igbo officers were also killed in the mutiny.

The book also sheds light on the involvement of members of other ethnic groups, notably Yorubas, many of whom he said had participated in the military takeover.

The former leader confirmed that the original intention of the coup plotters was to release politician Obafemi Awolowo from detention and install him as president.

Babangida writes: "It was a terrible time for the Nigerian military. As I have said elsewhere, as a young officer who saw all of this from a distance, probably, ethnic sentiments did not drive the original objective of the coup plotters.

"For instance, the head of the plotters, Major Kaduna Nzeogwu, was only 'Igbo' in name. Born and raised in Kaduna, his immigrant parents were from Okpanam in today's Delta State, which, in 1966, was in the old mid-western region. Nzeogwu spoke fluent Hausa and was as 'Hausa' as any! He and his original team probably thought, even if naively, that they could turn things around for the better in the country."

The association of Igbos with the coup led to attacks on members of that community around the country and ultimately to the civil war in which some Igbo leaders tried to secede from Nigeria in 1967. At least a million people were killed in what became known as the Biafran war.

The love story with Maryam Babangida

Many Nigerians see Babangida's wife Maryam as the country's most iconic and influential first lady. From 1985 to when they left office in 1993, their love story captivated a lot of people. She died in 2009 and the ex-head of state has never remarried.

"She was stunning. Her ebony beauty set off enchanting eyes, and her dazzling smile showed off a lovely set of teeth; when she smiled - and she often smiled - her face lit up, and her eyes danced," he writes.

"We both saw our marriage as our freedom and agreed to sort things out ourselves if we quarrelled. We were very compatible; indeed, I can only recall two occasions on which we quarrelled, and neither of us was afraid to apologise to the other. In all our years of marriage, it was never necessary for anyone to mediate between us over a misunderstanding because of that original meeting of minds.

"I never imagined that Maryam would pass away before I did, but the gift of life is in Allah's hands, not in humanity's. I am grateful for the life Maryam and I shared and for the fruit of our union. Coping without her has not been easy, but it has been made much less demanding by the memories of our life together and the length of her shadow," Babangida says.

He describes Maryam as a devoted wife, mother, homemaker, and passionate advocate for rural women. Above all, he saw her as a true partner.

By Mansur Abubakar, BBC

Nigeria ex-military leader for first time admits regret over cancelled poll

Nigeria's ex-military ruler Gen Ibrahim Babangida has expressed deep regret for the first time for annulling the results of the 1993 presidential election.

The poll was supposed to bring about an end to military rule after 10 years and the cancellation of the outcome threw the country into turmoil. The date of the vote – 12 June - is now remembered in Nigeria as Democracy Day.

Gen Babangida was forced to resign. Moshood Abiola, widely believed to have won the election, was later imprisoned and his wife assassinated.

Nigeria's current President, Bola Tinubu, said Gen Babangida had shown courage by admitting what took place.

The former military leader, 83, expressed his regret at the launch of his autobiography A Journey in Service in the capital, Abuja, on Thursday.

"Undoubtedly credible, free and fair elections were held on 12 June 1993," he told the audience made up of the cream of Nigerian society, including Tinubu, two former presidents – Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan - and two other ex-military leaders, Abdulsalam Abubakar and Yakubu Gowon.

"However, the tragic irony of history remains that the administration that devised a near-perfect electoral system and conducted those near-perfect elections could not complete the process.

"That accident of history is most regrettable. The nation is entitled to expect my expression of regret."

Gen Babangida, popularly known as IBB, also acknowledged that Abiola, who died in 1998, won the election.

However, in 1993 as results were being collated, the military government abruptly stopped the process - an action that triggered widespread protests and a political crisis.

For three decades, the circumstances surrounding the 1993 election have been shrouded in controversy, with conflicting accounts emerging overtime.

This new admission, seen as reopening old wounds, has triggered fresh debates rather than closure.

Many people will be expecting the former military ruler to also provide answers to some questions relating to his policies at the time.

Gen Babangida, who overthrew another military leader Muhammadu Buhari in 1985, led the county for eight years.

Multiparty democracy did eventually return to Nigeria in 1999 with the election of Obasanjo – who had also been a former military leader – as president.

By Chris Ewokor, BBC

No evidence Trump banned Nigerian politicians entering US

There is no evidence that Donald Trump banned Nigerian politicians from visiting the United States, contrary to a claim that appeared online during the U.S. president’s first full day in office.

“Breaking News: Trump has imposed a ban preventing all Nigerian politicians from visiting the U.S. for any reason,” said January 21 posts on TikTok and Facebook.

The posts also claim that Trump ordered a freeze on international Nigerian bank accounts and that 2 million Nigerians now face deportation from the U.S.

But there is no evidence that the new U.S. president ordered any such travel ban or financial freeze that targets Nigerians. Trump did, however, begin a promised immigration crackdown at the start of his term, but available immigration statistics suggest thousands, not millions, of Nigerians could be affected.


NO BAN OR FREEZE

Trump was inaugurated on January 20.

As of February 14, there have been 94 presidential directives, including executive orders, memorandums, and proclamations, published on the White House website and in the Federal Register. None of the directives include restrictions on Nigerian politicians or actions against Nigerian bank accounts or their holders.

Citing experts, Reuters reported on January 27 that investors were showing interest in frontier markets, like Nigeria, as they are unlikely to be in Trump’s direct firing line for things like tariffs and other policy shifts.

FACING DEPORTATION

Trump’s immigration policies have primarily targeted illegal border crossings from Mexico, with the president declaring a national emergency and a broad ban on asylum for migrants crossing the southern border.

But there is no evidence that 2 million Nigerians face deportation from the United States.

There were 3,690 Nigerian citizens on ICE’s non-detained docket with final orders for removal as of November 24, 2024, according to a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) document obtained by Fox News

Data from Pew Research Center, a think tank that conducts research on demographics, race, and ethnicity in the U.S., does not support the claim that 2 million Nigerians face deportation, a spokesperson for the organization told Reuters via email.

A spokesperson for the Migration Policy Institute, another think tank that conducts research and analysis on migration and refugee policies, said the organization estimates that all countries in Africa combined total around 3% (415,000) of the 13.7 million people it estimates live in the U.S. illegally.

The White House press office, a spokesman for Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Ministry, and the U.S. Department of the Treasury did not respond to requests for comment.

The U.S. embassy in Nigeria and Nigeria’s embassy in the U.S. also did not respond to requests for comment.

VERDICT

No evidence. There is no evidence that U.S. President Donald Trump banned Nigerian politicians from entering the U.S., nor taken action on Nigerian bank accounts and their holders. The total Nigerian population in the U.S. is estimated to be less than 500,000, thus impossible for 2 million to be deported.

This article was produced by the Reuters Fact Check team. Read more about our fact-checking work.

Reuters

President Tinubu Defends Reforms Blamed for Hardship

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu defended sweeping economic reforms implemented since he took power in May 2023 as necessary to prevent a national crisis.

“We were spending our future, we were spending our generation’s fortune,” he told a rare media briefing in Lagos, the commercial capital, on Monday. “Why should you have expenditure that you do not have revenues for?”

The leader of Africa’s most populous nation has undertaken a number of measures, including devaluing the naira, abolishing a complex multiple exchange-rate system and scrapping costly gasoline subsidies since taking office.

‘Father Christmas’

Tinubu said that Nigeria had been playing “Father Christmas” to its neighbors by subsidizing gasoline. “I do not have any regrets whatsoever in removing the subsidies,” he said.


While the International Monetary Fund and World Bank have welcomed the reforms, they has triggered soaring inflation and led to a cost-of-living crisis, worsening the plight of millions of Nigerians who live below the poverty line.

In August, demonstrators took to the streets in frustration over the tough living conditions in protests that were met by deadly force by police.

More from Tinubu’s briefing:

. The president said he will not back down on his proposed tax changes, but signaled he could make concessions on value added tax to advance the overall measures, without being specific.

. Importing 2,000 tractors into Nigeria to encourage mechanized farming and increase agricultural output that can be sold for export.

. Tinubu says he does not believe in price controls and the market should be allowed to determine prices.

By Ruth Olurounbi and Anthony Osae-Brown, Bloomberg

President Tinubu unveils “ambitious” budget

Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu presented a 47.9 trillion naira ($30 billion) budget for 2025 to parliament on Wednesday.

The bill, Tinubu’s second as president, assumes a benchmark oil price of $75 per barrel and production of just over 2 million barrels per day — an output level some analysts say would be hard to achieve. Nigerian budgets are anchored on oil sales which make up around 90% of foreign exchange earnings.

The budget also assumes inflation will fall from over 34% currently to 15% next year. It is an “optimistic forecast,” says Ibukun Omoyeni, an economist at Lagos-based Vetiva Capital. He believes inflation “may be much higher” than the government’s estimate and that a supplementary budget would need to be issued at some point.

Tinubu, who has largely stuck by a policy agenda that has sharply raised the cost of living during his tenure, said the latest budget was “ambitious but necessary” for the country’s future. Defense and security will take 10% of the proposed spending, while education and health account for 7 and 5% respectively.

The proposal projects that Nigeria’s economy will grow 4.6% next year, above recent estimates from Washington.

According to the IMF, Nigeria’s economy will grow next year by 3.2% after finishing this year with 2.9%. The World Bank’s growth projection for Nigeria for the next three years is an average of 3.7%.

Earlier this month, Nigeria issued a $2.2 billion eurobond partly to raise money needed to make up for this budget’s 3.9% deficit. Central Bank governor Yemi Cardoso described the bond sale as a measure of “growing confidence of investors and the resilience of the Nigeria credit, and evidence of our improved liquidity position.”

The bank under Tinubu’s direction has managed to stabilize the naira currency after a free fall at the beginning of the year following two devaluations. Next year’s budget is anchored on an exchange rate of 1,500 naira to the dollar, an estimate that isn’t far off the naira’s current position of 1,538.

But even if the exchange rate projection is feasible, Tinubu’s spending plan is “not realistic at all” based on its projections for inflation and oil revenues, says Basil Abia, co-founder of economic policy consultancy Veriv Africa. The firm’s best-case scenario projection for inflation next year is 31% — and that is if Nigeria produces at least 1.8 million barrels per day at $90 or more. But Nigeria’s output has been below that mark in the last half decade with insecurity in oil producing communities limiting production.

And Nigeria’s oil earnings next year could be affected by geopolitical factors beyond its control. “A Trump presidency means more American oil in the global market,” raising the prospect of prices going below $70, Abia said.

By Alexander Onukwue, SEMAFOR

Video - South Africa backs Nigeria’s G20 quest

In a recent meeting, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu and South African counterpart Cyril Ramaphosa discussed strategies to strengthen trade ties between their countries. Ramaphosa pledged support for Nigeria’s bid to join the G20, emphasizing the importance of African unity on the global stage.

CGTN

Badenoch stands by Nigeria comments after criticism

Kemi Badenoch has stood by her past comments about Nigeria, after the vice-president of the West African country accused her of denigrating it.

The Conservative Party leader, who was born in the UK but mostly raised in Nigeria, has repeatedly described growing up in fear and insecurity in a country plagued by corruption.

On Monday, Nigerian Vice-President Kashim Shettima suggested Badenoch could "remove the Kemi from her name" if she was not proud of her "nation of origin".

Asked about Shettima's comments, Badenoch's spokesman said she "stands by what she says" and "is not the PR for Nigeria".

"She is the leader of the opposition and she is very proud of her leadership of the opposition in this country," he told reporters.

"She tells the truth. She tells it like it is. She is not going to couch her words."

During a speech on migration in Nigerian capital Abuja, Shettima said his government was "proud" of Badenoch "in spite of her efforts at denigrating her nation of origin."

Shettima was met with applause when he said: "She is entitled to her own opinions; she has even every right to remove the Kemi from her name but that does not underscore the fact that the greatest black nation on earth is the nation called Nigeria."

He compared Badenoch's approach to that of her predecessor, Rishi Sunak - the UK's first prime minister of Indian heritage - as "a brilliant young man" who "never denigrated his nation of ancestry".

It is unclear which comments Shettima was referring to, but Badenoch has frequently mentioned her Nigerian upbringing in speeches and interviews.

Born Olukemi Adegoke in Wimbledon in 1980, she grew up in Lagos, Nigeria, and in the United States where her physiology professor mother lectured.

She returned to the UK at the age of 16 to live with a friend of her mother because of the worsening political and economic situation in Nigeria, and to study for her A-levels.

After marrying Scottish banker Hamish Badenoch, she took her husband's surname.

At the Conservative Party conference this year, Badenoch contrasted the freedoms she experienced in the UK to her childhood in Lagos "where fear was everywhere".

She vividly described the city as lawless, recalling hearing "neighbours scream as they are being burgled and beaten - and wondering if your home will be next".

Last week during a tour of the US, she described her home city as "a place where almost everything seemed broken".

Her experiences helped shape her conservative ideals and set her against socialism, she said.

By Sam Francis, BBC

Nigeria president orders release of minors charged over protests

Nigeria’s president has directed that all minors detained during protests against the rising cost of living in August be freed and treason charges against them dropped, Information Minister Mohammed Idris has said.

“The president has directed that these children, these minors, be released immediately,” Idris said on Monday.

At least 76 people, including 30 minors, were charged with treason and inciting a military coup after they took part in deadly August protests against economic hardship.

The minors’ arraignment sparked public outrage and criticism of the government after they were paraded in court last Friday.

Frustration over the cost-of-living crisis has led to several protests in recent months that demand better opportunities and jobs for young people.

In August, protesters rallied in Abuja, the commercial capital Lagos and several other cities to show discontent with economic reforms that have led to rampant inflation and the worst cost-of-living crisis in a generation in Nigeria.

Rights group Amnesty International said at least 22 people died during the demonstrations in clashes with security forces.

President Bola Tinubu has since vowed to pursue the changes, which he says are needed to keep the economy afloat.

In addition to the severe financial crisis, Nigerians are living with widespread insecurity that has damaged the farming sector, with armed gangs kidnapping residents and schoolchildren for ransom in the north.

Al Jazeera

NEC recommends withdrawal of Tinubu’s tax reform bills

The National Executive Council has recommended the withdrawal of the four tax reform bills sent to the parliament by President Bola Tinubu.

The NEC, presided over by Vice President Kashim Shettima, took the decision at its meeting held at the Presidential Villa on Thursday. Membership of the NEC includes the governors of Nigeria’s 36 states.

Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, who was one of the attendees who briefed journalists after the meeting, said the NEC called for the withdrawal so that “we can have wider consultations and also build consensus around these reforms…”

PREMIUM TIMES reported the controversy the bills have generated with the Northern Governors Forum rejecting them.

President Tinubu sent the four bills to the National Assembly as part of efforts to overhaul Nigeria’s tax system.

The bills seek to, among others, create a central revenue service that will collect all government revenues including those currently being collected by agencies like the customs and the ports authority.

The bills also seek to allocate more VAT revenues to states but would allow states where the VATs are generated to get the lion’s share. It is that latter position that northern leaders believe would not favour states in the region.

At its meeting, the NEC noted the need for sufficient alignment between and amongst the stakeholders for such proposed reforms, Mr Makinde said, noting that, there’s really a lot of miscommunication at the moment.

Earlier, President Tinubu’s spokesperson said the proposed laws will not increase the number of taxes currently in operation. Instead, they are designed to optimise and simplify existing tax frameworks.

“The tax rates or percentages will remain the same under these reforms, as they focus on ensuring a more equitable distribution of tax obligations without adding to the burden on Nigerians,” Mr Onanuga said.

He added that the reforms will not lead to job losses. On the contrary, they are structured to stimulate new avenues for job creation by supporting a dynamic, growth-oriented economy, he said.

“At the moment, tax administration lacks coordination among federal, state, and local tax authorities, often resulting in overlapping responsibilities, confusion, and inefficiency. Without reform, this inefficiency will persist.”

On concerns raised among government agencies, Mr Onanuga said the proposed laws aim to coordinate efforts between different tiers of government, resulting in better tax resource management and greater clarity for taxpayers.

“Importantly, these laws will not absorb or eliminate the duties of any existing department, agency, or ministry. Instead, they aim to harmonise revenue collection and administration across the federation to ensure efficiency and cooperation.”

On the proposed derivation-based VAT distribution model, which the Northern governors oppose, Mr Onanuga said the new tax model is designed to create an even fairer system.

The new proposal before the National Assembly outlines a different form of derivation which considers the place of supply or consumption for relevant goods and services.

“This means that states in the Northern region that produce the food we eat should not lose out just because their products are VAT-exempt or consumed in other states,” Mr Onanuga said, adding that, the ongoing tax reform seeks to correct the inherent inequity in the current derivation model as a basis for distributing VAT revenue.

By Kabir Yusuf, Premium Times

Nigerian MP apologises after viral taxi slapping video

Nigerian MP Alex Ikwechegh has apologised after a video went viral of him slapping and verbally abusing a taxi driver who had come to deliver food to his house.

“I sincerely apologise for my words and actions during this incident… As a public servant, I understand the weight of my role and how my words can impact others,” said the politician who was questioned by police over the incident on Sunday evening.

Bolt driver Stephen Abuwatseya accepted a job to deliver some snails to Ikwechegh’s home in the capital, Abuja, and began recording their conversation after an argument started over payment.

The lawmaker had accused the driver of disrespecting him and went on to slap him in the clip.

What appeared to have angered the 44-year-old politician from Abia state in south-eastern Nigeria was the driver’s request that he come outside to collect the delivery.

“So, you think I will give you my money with the way you have spoken to me?” he asked in the video recording.

Mr Abuwatseya responded: “I did a job for you, and you have to pay me, sir.”

The MP then phoned the snail seller to complain about the driver’s behaviour: “How can this stupid idiot come to my house and tell me that I’m supposed to come and meet him in his car and pick up snail that I’m buying from you?

“Can you imagine this rat? I can make this man to disappear in the whole of Nigeria and nothing would happen.”

He then turned back to the driver and continued the argument, asking if he knew who he was, repeatedly saying: “How dare you?”

He continued: “I will beat you up. I will show you that I’m a big brother to you. I will slap the hell out of you, lie you down, and lock you in my generator house. How dare you?”

When Mr Abuwatseya later made it clear he was recording, the MP challenged him to call the police chief.

The recording stopped when it appears the MP grabbed at the phone. In a later clip the driver is seen bare-chested and alleges the politician tore his shirt off and had slapped him three times in total.

In a statement on Monday, the police said they were investigating the matter and urged people to refrain from using the inspector general of police’s name “to intimidate others”.

In his statement, released on Tuesday, Ikwechegh extended his “heartfelt apologies” to the police chief “ recognising the unintended disparagement my remarks may have caused to his person, his office, and the entire institution”.

He also apologised to the House of Representatives, which, according to local media, has since referred the matter to its ethics committee.

“This incident has been a humbling reminder of the necessity for restraint and self-control, especially in challenging circumstances,” the legislator said.

“I am committed to using this experience as an opportunity for growth, both as a citizen and as a more empathetic representative of the people.”

Ikwechegh said he and Mr Abuwatseya had “explored alternative dispute resolution methods” to sort out the issue and had reached a “respectful resolution”.

By Lucy Fleming, BBC